The invention relates generally to an apparatus and method for editing video image sequences, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for editing video material encoded using an MPEG video standard.
The acceptance of MPEG as a standard for the distribution of video is becoming more and more apparent as time goes on. From feature film distribution, multimedia, source footage archiving, and commercial insertion to general video transmission, MPEG has emerged as a clear winner in the standards race. Just as importantly, specialized chips have been and are being developed for MPEG encoders and decoders to ensure that MPEG remains the leading contender in the standards race. Inexpensive decoder and encoder chips and chip sets are now available.
While MPEG has many good attributes, such as its low bandwidth requirements, it has one important drawback which prevents it from being as flexible as could be desired. This occurs because MPEG stores full images only every second or so and interpolates the inbetween frames thus making editing of MPEG coded scenes very difficult if not impossible. This deficiency came about because MPEG was originally assigned as a serial distribution standard, and the need to edit two image streams was not considered to be an important issue. Nevertheless, as more and more material is encoded in MPEG, there will be an ever increasing need to manipulate this footage.
It is therefore a primary object of the invention to edit two MPEG encoded image sequences in a smooth and seamless manner, at any point of the sequences. Other objects of the invention include a method and apparatus for editing the MPEG scenes which are relatively low in cost, reliable, and flexible in operation.